#plus it’s the vibe I’m falling headfirst into myself so

[hogans-heroes]

Gnawing at the bars yada yada you know the drill

[trashmancer]

Again, been reading a lot recently, and here's some recent reads and my thoughts. (All very spoiler-free)

Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard

I'd heard about this series for a while, but had always kept putting off reading it, and finally I was in the mood for some comedic (yet dark) shenanigans--and a villain protagonist as charming as Johannes Cabal really hit me just right. I really enjoyed the first of this series and the introduction to this 1920's-ish universe similar-yet-different to our own that Howard's created. His writing is crisp and clever--and Johannes is a villain protagonist worth cheering for. He's duplicitous, arrogant, and cold, yet sharp-witted and competent enough to be engaging, and even though he's amoral (driven predominately with an "ends do justify the means" mentality) there are glimmers of a conscious buried in there.

The basic gist of the first book is that Johannes Cabal is a necromancer dead-set (ba-dum-sh) on thwarting the biggest plague affecting mankind: Death. As such, he's willing to go to extreme lengths to hone and perfect his necromantic abilities. In the pursuit of this knowledge, Cabal sold his soul to Satan, but he comes to realize he actually needs his soul for his necromancy to work more properly (apparently without a soul it gets very unpredictable). In order to win his soul back, he strikes a wager with Satan: he will accumulate 100 souls for Satan in return for his own. Satan, ever the fair player (not), gifts Cabal with an infernal carnival to help Cabal reach his goal within the year. Shenanigans ensue.

While I read some books in-between this one and the next in the series, I'll write about the other here--

Johannes Cabal: The Detective by Jonathan L. Howard

So clearly I enjoyed the first installment enough to keep going, and I am glad, because I enjoyed the second one even more than the first. It feels like Howard got more comfortable with the characters and world than before, and in this one he expands his universe with some made-up countries that are similar-to-yet-different than countries on our Earth. In this one, Cabal does less fantastic tricks, as he dons the role of investigator (there's been a murder--on an airship!), but the plot was very fun. I will say this is one of the first books in a long while to genuinely make my world-weary ass laugh out loud in public. Howard truly does know how to turn a phrase and comes off with some great witticisms.

Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky has been on my radar for a while because I have had Children of Time on my reading list for what feels like an age (and I still haven't gotten around to reading it, but I will soon). To prime myself, I looked up other works by Tchaikovsky. This was around the time I was look for good "stand-alone" Adult Fantasy novels as well, so the two linked up and I had this on my TBR for a while and got around to finally cracking it open.

I really loved this book. If I could describe it in any way, it would be sort of like Pride & Prejudice if Elizabeth Bennet got drafted into a war. Seriously. That's how it reads--and Tchaikovsky made the allusions to Austen's work very clear. The setting is very English-inspired, and the time period mimics Napoleonic times. Definitely the first "Flintlock Fantasy" I've had the pleasure of reading.

The themes of the book are about the caustic nature of nationalism, the blurring of truth during war, and what is true patriotism in the face of falsehood and horror. Definitely my kind of questions--and I love watching characters thrown into completely unfamiliar environments. A genteel woman (Emily Marshwic) being tossed headfirst into grisly, mosquito-infested swamps armed with a musket? It's a fascinating journey she undergoes.

Plus the novel featured a romantic subplot that hits my enemies-to-lovers buttons hard. (It's not at all like one of those tired YA enemies-to-lovers stories, but something more grown-up and messy, which I approve of, because I love drama.) But this is more of a personal note. It's definitely not going to be for everyone.

Retribution Falls (Tales of the Ketty Jay #1) by Chris Wooding

After Johannes Cabal, I got into the mood for some steampunk, and I hadn't actually read much in the way of steampunk, so I looked up some recs and the Tales of the Ketty Jay series seemed to appear on a lot of lists for this kinda thing. The basic gist of this one is... imagine steampunk Firefly. That kinda gives you the whole vibe and feel. It's about a crew of disparate and colorful characters all running from something who meet on the ship the Ketty Jay and have to learn to work together to survive.

Overall, it was a fast-paced read (I read this 400 page sucker in a single day--while doing other stuff) and Wooding knows how to write action and interesting character interactions. The world had some glimmers of brilliance (the wizard analogs in their world--daemonist--were the most intriguing part), but otherwise it was very typical steampunk. I had no real quibbles with any of that (aside from the fact some of it read as very cliche and Wooding's inspirations seemed a little obvious--Fullmetal Alchemist and Firefly being the two big ones that kept hammering me over the head), but my main complaint was with the writing and treatment of female characters. First, there is only one main female character in the Ketty Jay's crew--Jez. I had no real issues with Jez's character or writing (in fact she's refreshing in some ways), but she's completely isolated from any other female characters (and is also the only crew member who isn't really allowed to be a complete screw up--she's somewhat sanitized, which, I guess the heroic women characters aren't allowed to be fuck ups like the men?). Second, the other predominate female characters, of whom there are only three, are mute/dehumanized (Bess), characterized as stupid and unhinged (Amalicia), and have rape-as-a-backstory-written-TERRIBLY (Trinica). All that said, as much as it was cringe, this was written in 2009, and I am sure Wooding has had some growth as a writer since then.

I liked this one enough to decide to check out the next in the series (even knowing the writing for the female characters leaves much to be desired).

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

A Fantasy taking place in an Americas-inspired world? Absolutely refreshing (and more please). The main gist of this one is that a cult sets out to resurrect a dead god (seriously that's the main plot crux) while political machinations are going on in the central city of this country where the resurrection is going to take place. As the novel progresses, it's like a countdown clock to game time. There's four POV characters we follow: Xiala (a Teek sea captain who is kind of an outcast from her native people and has a love for beautiful people), Serapio (the man who has been groomed since birth to be the vessel for the resurrected god, part of this process has included blinding him), Naranpa (the Sun Priest of the capital city who is trying to garner back control the priesthood has lost), and Okoa (who really doesn't even appear until way later into the book; he's been separated from his family to train to be a warrior). For the most part, I was primarily engaged (re: 90% engaged) with Xiala and Serapio's story. They were the most interesting characters, and the journey of them on the sea trying to get to the city before the ceremony was exciting and emotional. The political dealings in Naranpa's segments kind of bogged down the action--and I didn't feel anything for that. Overall though, definitely a thrilling read with a beautifully constructed world. If I had one big criticism, it's that it ended incredibly abruptly without any resolution. I knew going in this was a part of a greater whole, but I still felt the ends could've been knotted a little tighter. I'm left dangling! But I'll be sure to pick up the next one (if anything just to find out what happens to Xiala and Serapio).

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

As an unapologetic villainfucker, I had to read this one, right? It's about not just one, but two villains! How could I lose? And they're in an intense rivalry? Revenge? Betrayal? Superpowers? Gah! Be still my heart!

I'll say I enjoyed this book (fun characters, solid writing), but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would (I wish I could love yooouuuu!). Definitely worth a recommendation to anyone who loves villains and fast-paced narratives, but... there were a few things that tarnished what could've been sparkling. The biggest for me was the jumping around in the first half. For a length of time, the novel leaps between three different points of time, sometimes 2-3 pages at a time, and it was jarring (not confusing, mind you, but it was a jolt each time). I get it was done to create an air of mystique and intrigue, but it felt like I was getting dragged around by the ear. Along with this, the plot just seemed... very convenient? As various moments kept happening, it all felt too tidy and paint-by-numbers. The characters were certainly messy and fun (and I love messy and fun), but the action itself seemed to glide on well-oiled rails with no hiccups. This did lead to the magnetic pacing of the book (which I also read in a day), but it didn't do the drama any favors. Never once did it feel like the characters were caught with their pants down--and I think that's part of the point, but it kind of dampened the tension.

I liked it enough I am definitely going to check out the sequel Vengeful though. If anything I am reading for Sydney, Mitch, and Victor. I gotta know what happens to them!

--

Right now I am reading some fluffy fluff to cleanse my palette because I've been reading so much moodiness. I'm mid-way through the light and breezy Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater (and it's super cute so far) and then I am finally going to crack open Andy Weir's The Martian (because I have put off reading it for far too long).

[sakura-blossom28]

Modern Day Romance

Chapter 3

Bit of a dull chapter to get things moving, but I’m excited for the next part! I think Hinata seems a little meaner then she would typically be written, only because I’m writing from experience!! I’m hoping that in later chapters I can write the story so that they would be closer to how they actually are (namely Naruto and Hinata) I do want them to be more in the story but for now, they have to be “uncaring friends” even though they’re not like that normally!! So please bear with me! 

Please let me know what you think! I don’t own Naruto 

Ch 1 / Ch 2 /

Gaara: Are you sure I’m your type?

Sakura looked at the message.  He had every reason to be suspicious, but it was the 21st century, weirder things would happen if a bubbly girl and a seemingly gothic guy got together.  Gaara didn’t seem disinterested in her, but if she didn’t answer the right way he might just think she’s an airhead like everyone assumed she was.  That fact frustrated Sakura to no end.  People always assumed that she was just a dumb girl who only liked pink and frilly things.  She was much more than just her appearance.  How many times had guys dropped her because they assumed too much about her based on how little they knew of her?

Sakura: A better question would be am I your type?

This was her actual fear.  Maybe he was just curious about her and he had no intention of getting to know her.  Seeing the three typing bubbles caused so much anxiety for Sakura that she got out of the app to text Hinata, but she stopped.  Hinata wouldn’t care about this.  They made it clear to Sakura that their friendship was fading.  Before she could wallow too much, a new message from Gaara popped up.  Moving hesitantly, Sakura opened the message.  

Gaara: I don’t think I really have a type.  As cliche as it sounds, it’s on what the inside that counts.  I would have to get to know you first to see.

Well, at least that’s promising, Sakura thought to herself.  But another message came through before she could reply.

Gaara: But I do think you are very pretty.

Sakura blushed madly at the compliment.  Sure she knew she was fairly attractive, but it had been so long since a boy had complimented her.  Even though she had been on a few dates and talked to a decent amount of guys in the last few months, they never really made a comment about her appearance. When she dated Sasuke the only thing he ever said to her was that she looked ‘nice’ and that was only after she had to prompt him.  Seeing the type of person that Gaara looked like, he was the type to mean what he says.  

You need to calm down.  Play it cool, don’t dive in headfirst or you’ll get hurt all over again, the voice reminded her.  It was right, she needed to play it cool and not get over-excited.  

Sakura: Oh thank you!  That’s a good way to look at people, especially on here. Most guys on here kind of have a one-track mind that I’ve seen, so it’s refreshing to see that!  I do think you’re handsome. :P

Gaara: Not to be too forward, but what are you looking for?  

He was direct and to the point.  Sakura was shocked.  Being on dating apps for about a year, not once had a guy asked her this question outright.  Gaara seemed to direct and to the point type of person.  Maybe this was what she needed, to be more upfront about what she wanted.  Why did she always hide how she felt when she was dating someone?  Sakura felt like she was walking on eggshells when she was around Sasuke like if she upset him just the tiniest bit he would fall apart right in front of her.  

Sakura was a strong and independent person, she was dependable to her friends, could help them with any problem they had, but when she had a boyfriend she lost all of her confidence and personality.  Meek was not a word she would associate with herself, but with Sasuke, that’s exactly how she acted. Sure he never opened up to her, but Sakura didn’t help by hiding how she actually felt when he ignored her for all those months. Why was she always trying so hard to please these guys who in the end didn’t care about her one way or another?  It was time she took a step forward and demand to be treated fairly and would take nothing less.

Sakura: Well I think what I really want is just to connect with someone.  I just want to be able to be myself!  I wouldn’t want to rush into something, but if it’s the right person it should just be easy!

Gaara: I couldn’t agree more.  

X

They talked for the rest of the night getting to know each other.  They worked in similar fields so it was easy talking about work and the frustrations that their patients gave them.  Sakura felt herself opening up to Gaara.  She felt no fear in saying anything embarrassing to him about her interests or any opinions she had.  He was very intelligent and could keep up when she brought up her love for the medical field and all the side cases that her mentor Tsunade gave her.  

He was polite and kind when responding, never saying anything inappropriate. Sakura didn’t think his mind worked like that.  Gaara gave off the vibe that he was pretty straight-laced even though his siblings that he told her about did not. Sakura was fascinated by him.  There was just something about him that always left her wanting to know more.  

The days past as they kept talking.  Sakura built up the courage to ask for his number after talking for a solid week.  She claimed that it would be easier for them to talk, but really she just wanted to move things along.  Even though Gaara was so smart, when it came down the flirting he seemed clueless. Thankfully Sakura found that endearing.  But it was a good thing because they hadn’t met yet and she didn’t want to get too hot and heavy to have them meet and not feel anything.  

It only took a few days after exchanging numbers that Gaara asked if she would be willing to go on a date that weekend if she had time.  She was ecstatic.  Oh, how she wished Ino was here.  They would be dancing around her room like they used to do in high school when a boy they liked talked to them.  Ino would insist to help Sakura get ready and pick out her outfit.  They had so many happy memories and now Ino did all that with her roommates.  Sakura debated texting Ino, but she still had this imaginary guilt about bothering her.  

Sakura: Do you mind if we do something different than dinner?  

Gaara: That would be alright with me.  Do you have something else in mind?

Sakura: Not really… Give me a day and I’ll come up with something!

Gaara: If you don’t mind I could plan something if you like.

This surprised Sakura.  Out of all the boys that she dated none of them ever offered to plan a date.  If they did it was because a friend wanted to do an activity and invited them along.  Being a control freak Sakura really didn’t mind doing the planning, but it felt like a nice change of pace.  Plus he was offering to do something for her which was very nice.  

Let him do it.  Let’s see if he’s as good as we think.  It’ll be a way to see if he’s worthy of you, the voice whispered sweetly into her mind.  It would be interesting to see what he could come up with.  

Sakura: That would actually be great and so sweet!  Thank you :)

They set the date for Saturday for an uncertain time until Gaara came up with something for them to do.  Sakura felt excited again.  Maybe this would be a good thing for her.  But the fear of the unknown was still at the back of her mind. She wanted a relationship so bad, but she wouldn’t settle anymore.  Sakura just hoped that Gaara was different from the rest.  But now Sakura was different too. She would never let anyone make her feel like she needed to change just to make them like her.  Sakura relaxed back down onto her couch and tried not to think about what Gaara would plan.  

Ch 4

[wearemostly]

It’s Time for Musical Musings, a.k.a. Mus(ic)ings

When I was 12, I sang in my school talent show. Although it was not an outright failure, the memory of my so-so voice projected through the auditorium haunts me to this day. I just wasn’t great. I had no business belting out “Love Story” in front of all my classmates. I’m no musical expert. I’m not even a musician. There was a brief stint with the violin in fifth grade—that ended after, I’d say, three months—then about a year or so with an electric guitar...that my brother now owns. Needless to say, musical talent is just not a part of my life.

But I love music so much. My education actually began when I stopped playing guitar and started listening. Sickened by the fact that I only listened to pop and a bit of Fall Out Boy (because, what else does a 12-year-old in 2009 listen to?), my now-guitar-playing brother took it upon himself to expand my taste in music. He started with something he liked—hardcore Led Zeppelin, which, sorry, just wasn’t the move at the time. But then he showed me The Beatles. And honestly, my life has never been the same.

I don’t need to wax poetic about how listening to the fab four opened my mind to literally all the incredible music that exists in this world. (But, seriously, it really did). The Beatles are a gateway band for so many people, and I’m more than happy to count myself in that population. Not only were they the uniting factor between me and not one, but two of my romantic relationships, but The Beatles also strengthened my connection to my brother and my father. Okay, so I guess I did need to wax poetic just a little bit.

After I listened and listened and listened, my brother and I journeyed to other bands, other albums, other genres. I didn’t completely abandon pop—a frequent source of eye-rolls for my brother—but I now knew that it wasn’t the end-all-be-all of music. Listen, I won’t pretend I didn’t go through the One Direction phase and scream my head off at my fair share of Taylor Swift concerts. I just did so while also adding a lot of indie rock to my iTunes library (RIP).

And then. Then there was Bob Dylan. When I started listening to Dylan in high school, it was like looking back on a past life, or experiencing some alternate existence I was always meant to have. The king of reinvention, Dylan’s extensive library provided songs for every emotion, be it happy, sad or in between. He made me want to wander Greenwich Village in 1960 with the artists and dreamers. I was on stage with him, going from acoustic to electric, being heckled by angry fans. There was, and still is, plenty I don’t understand—plenty I’m not supposed to—but I felt it all so strongly. 

Blood on the Tracks, in particular, has always meant something more to me. Released in ‘75 as Dylan was dealing with marriage troubles, the album has a folksy, heart twisting vibe I just can’t quit. Although Dylan avoids saying the album’s about his estrangement from his wife—and although I’ve never dealt with something so romantically terrible—I am unavoidably drawn to the vivid stories of love and loss that wind through the tracks.

I’ve also gone through other phases with my music taste. For truly no reason at all, I was a very angry teenager. Honestly, I’m probably just an angry person, but nowadays that anger has just morphed to...weariness. In high school, though, I sought out harder, louder songs to wrap myself in these raging emotions. Teachers ruthlessly unfair? Blasting The Rolling Stones on the ride home will fix that. Boss at work sexist? Let’s see if some Arctic Monkeys will cure that. 

Clearly, music has always been a source of escape. It’s also been a way to cloak myself in feelings, emphasizing and heightening the similar thoughts already in my head. Recently, I’ve dived headfirst back into my devotion to Blood on the Tracks...but on steroids. When the pandemic first kicked off in my life, I hadn’t been as dedicated to any artist or genre in particular. But things got bad (duh) and I felt an innate need to surround myself with this fuzzy, retro, gut-wrenching sound. It started innocently enough, with me playing a combination of Carole King’s Tapestry plus James Taylor over and over again. Then I was researching the best ‘70s chill’ playlists full of folksy singer-songwriter hits and physically could not turn off John Denver.

Fast forward several months and I am...still listening to this playlist on repeat. I’ve tried returning to more modern selections, like Folklore and Haim and Harry Styles, but I keep going back in time. I just can’t get enough of that velvety sound—it’s like your favorite old t-shirt, so soft to the touch and rendered nearly vintage from countless runs through the washer. A warm embrace from your mom or your best friend or your partner after you haven’t seen them in a long time.

It’s not even that I was returning to some of these songs after not listening in months or years. I know that feeling, and it’s a completely different nostalgia—almost uncanny, like you’re reliving your past. It’s not that, because half the songs on this playlist are ones I’d barely ever listened to before. Some are completely new to me. Yet, just like with Bob Dylan, I knew I was always meant to hear this music. It just sits right with my soul.

And I think that’s why I can’t stop listening. Because it’s more than just music, comfort, catharsis—it’s home. In a time when quite literally everything is uncertain, and I’m feeling rootless in an entirely new way, these silky songs give me a sense of belonging. They blanket me in other lives lived and loves lost. I don’t feel so completely alone when I hear Neil Young croon about searching for a heart of gold, or Jim Croce wanting to put time in a bottle. Mama Cass humming about dreams of California can soothe me to sleep every dang night for all I’m concerned. 

It doesn’t really make sense, considering I was born in 1997 and have barely experienced a world separate from 21st century technology, media and speed. But when I hear songs of this genre, this era, I know they belong to me, and I to them. It’s not to say I can’t get along with current songs—I can certainly strut through my neighborhood to Bastille and feel completely in power—but this time-worn playlist hits a different note.

I don’t know if there’s a future where I stop listening to my 70s chill playlist. I kind of, sort of, maybe don’t want it to end. Home is hard to find, whether it’s a person, place or thing, and I’d really like to continue living in this nostalgic bubble—even if it’s not my own nostalgia, not really. But it is my home.

[taexual]

I Want Desire [4] / Mark x Reader

OTHER PARTS: 01 - Got7 Mafia AU / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07  / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 - The End

Mark doesn’t really see that his logic is fucked up. He says he doesn’t want you… but he does. He says doesn’t care about you… but he does.  He says he isn’t falling in love with you…

Pairing: Mafia AU!Mark x Reader

Warnings: angst & strong language

Words: 4.2k

This was highly requested so I’m posting this ahead of time! I based this on the plot that anon suggested. x

Mark wasn’t in your room when you got home. And thank God for that because otherwise, he would have witnessed you cry and that was the last thing you wanted him to see. Not that he would have cared. Clearly, all he wanted from you was sex. He couldn’t have cared less about your actual well-being.

As you took deep breaths in an attempt to fight the tears off, you kept asking yourself why in the hell did you sleep with him in the first place? Did you seriously think he was no longer a dick despite the fact that he always treated you horribly? Honestly, did you expect him to change overnight?

And suddenly you were crying not because of Mark’s heartless rejection but because of your naive heart that thought he would actually turn out not to be a bad guy, despite being a member of the Mafia.

A few hours later, when it seemed as if you’ve cried all of your tears, someone knocked on your door.

“Y/n?” Grace’s quiet voice asked. “Are you okay? Mark says he hasn’t seen you and he’s being weird in general. What’s wrong?”

Not knowing how to tell her that instead of following her advice and being careful about your relationship with her brother, you jumped headfirst into Mark’s trap and ended up getting hurt. You were certain that Grace would just say, “I told you so” if you told her about the talk you had with him on the phone on your way from the meeting with Uchida.

Afraid to open your mouth in case it’d be obvious that you’ve been crying, you quickly wiped your eyes with the back of your hand, mildly panicking when you saw the remains of your mascara on the white sleeve of your shirt.

Sighing, you realized that you couldn’t possibly talk to her without her finding out that you were crying. Unless you ignored her until she went away. That wasn’t very nice but desperate times called for desperate—

And Grace was in your room.

Jumping up from the bed, you watched her put the hairpin – that she obviously used to pick the lock of your room – back in her hair and smile at you before noticing your teary eyes and the make up that was streaming down your face.

“What did he do?” she asked immediately.

You shook your head, sitting back down on the bed. “It’s just my stupidity, Grace. He didn’t do anything.”

“No, he did something,” she disagreed, sitting on the bed next to you. “Tell me what, Y/n. You know you can trust me.”

It took you a couple of moments to gather yourself before you felt like you could talk long enough without breaking down again.

“I like him a lot,” you started off, thinking that admitting the most painful part at the very beginning, would make the rest easier. “Like, I’ve never liked anyone in that way before, Grace.”

“Oh, babe,” she sighed, already knowing where this was going, so she wrapped her arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer to her.

“And I swear, I thought he felt the same way,” you said, sniffling. “We argued, sure, but that escalated and then he got… clingy. Like he kept texting me the whole day today. And then I called him about the ball. He told me that he was just fucking around with me. That he didn’t realize he’d suddenly be obligated to take me to balls.”

“Oh, that sounds like something my brother would say,” Grace groaned. “Listen, do you want me to talk to him about this? Kick his ass, perhaps?”

“No, Grace,” you shook your head. “I don’t want to fall down to his level. And besides, he’s right, he shouldn’t feel obligated to take me anywhere.”

“He’s not right,” Grace disagreed. “He’s your husband. He is obligated to take you places, whether you’re actually getting along or not. Though, I can only assume, you don’t really want him to take you anywhere anymore, do you?”

“I don’t,” you confirmed. “I don’t even want to see him.”

Grace nodded, understanding. “Here’s my offer. Call Mr. Uchida. Tell him you’ll come to the ball with a plus one.”

“You want me to lie to him? Because, frankly, at this point, I don’t even feel like going myself.”

“Oh, you’re going,” she said, releasing you and standing up from the bed. “Call him right now. Don’t specify who you’ll be coming with, though.”

“And if he asks?” you said, wiping your tears away again.

“Change the topic and hang up,” Grace told you, picking up your phone from the nightstand and handing it to you. “Do it right now, so I can hear what he says.”

Sighing, you dialed Uchida’s number and tried to calm your breathing while you waited for him to pick up.

“Uchida’s office,” he answered in a few seconds. “What may I help you with?”

“Hi, Mr. Uchida, this is Y/n Tuan,” you said, the name slipping off your tongue as if it was second nature even though you’ve only been married to Mark for a few months. “I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“Not at all, Miss Tuan!” he said and then quickly realized, correcting himself. “Mrs. Tuan. How may I help you?”

“I just wanted to call you and let you know that I’m really looking forward to your ball,” you said. “I’ll be coming with a plus one, after all, if that’s okay with you.”

“Of course, it’s okay,” Uchida replied, no longer in such a cheery tone. “I’ll write this down and I’ll be waiting to meet you and your… date.”

You smiled a little, glad that he didn’t use the words ‘your’ and ‘husband’. “Me too, Mr. Uchida. Thank you for working with us. I will see you at the ball.”

“I’m already looking forward to it,” he said. “Goodbye, Mrs. Tuan.”

You said your goodbye and hung up the phone, looking up at Grace who seemed to be deep in thought about something.

“Great work,” she told you when you placed your phone back on your nightstand. “Now all that’s left is finding you a plus one…”

“Wait,” you frowned. “Are you saying I’ll actually be going to the ball with someone?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Grace gave you an encouraging smile. “You can’t miss the ball just because my brother is being an ass about it. I’ll find you a date. Hey, would you say you prefer serious, nerdy guys or… more laid-back guys who gave off this badass vibe?”

You sighed. “Badass vibe.”

“Right, of course,” Grace nodded knowingly as if she should have seen this answer coming. “I’ll find you one who won’t break your heart, okay? In fact, I can think of one guy at the top of my head, who’d be—”

“Grace!” Mark’s voice sounded from the hallway. “Where the fuck are you?”

Grace saw the way your eyes widened at this sound. Realizing that she didn’t lock the door after she entered your bedroom, she sprinted across the room before Mark decided to look for her here, and locked the door, hoping he didn’t hear it.

He did.

“What the fuck?” he asked, confused. “Grace, are you in there?”

“Yeah,” Grace called out to him. “Go away.”

“We have a meeting in five minutes,” Mark reminded her. “About the work at the bar next week? Remember?”

“Tell them I don’t feel well.”

“Fuck off, Grace,” Mark groaned. “What are you even doing in Y/n’s room?”

“That’s none of your business,” she said. “Now go. I have important stuff to do.”

“Listen, if it’s about the—”

“I said go, Mark,” Grace repeated loudly, not wanting you to hear whatever he was going to say.

“Fine,” Mark snapped. “But if you get shit for missing the meeting, I’m not standing up for you.”

“I can stand up for myself,” Grace shot back.

She waited a few more moments to see if Mark would reply anything, and when he didn’t, she unlocked your bedroom to check if he really walked away. The hallway was empty, which meant that he did.

Locking the door again, Grace turned to look at you sitting on the bed. You seemed so small and fragile to her that her heart broke at the sight of you like this and for a quick moment, she wanted to strangle her brother. But she had a better idea how to show him his place.

“So, where was I?” Grace said, walking back to you. “Ah, right. There’s this guy. Adam. He’s not in the Mafia, but we did some work with him a couple of months back, and he’s really cool. Constantly wears leather jackets. I think he’d be your type. I don’t mean you should date him or anything but I think you’d like him.”

“What are you saying?” you asked.

“I’m saying I’ll text him and ask if he’s free on the night of the ball,” Grace said. “And then I’ll set you two up. Voilà.”

You considered this. “What if he turns out to be an asshole?”

“Sweetie, I’m not telling you to fall in love with him,” Grace said in a softer tone. “I’m saying go to the ball with him. Make Mark see what he’s missing.”

“Wait, what?” you frowned. “Are you only doing this to get a reaction out of Mark?”

Grace shrugged her shoulders. “Might be worth a shot.”

“Grace, I told you, he doesn’t give a shit about me. He won’t care who my date to the ball is.”

“Y/n, I know my brother. Let me be the judge of what he’ll care about, okay?” Grace said. “Now, wait for just a second, while I try to get a hold of Adam.”

You sighed, choosing not to argue with her further. You didn’t even care about the ball anymore. You didn’t care about anything. You just wanted to fall asleep and hopefully wake up and somehow no longer be married to Mark.

“There we go,” Grace’s voice said, waking you up from your dream world. “Adam says he’s free. Oh, and we’re also meeting him for drinks this Friday night.”

“What?” you widened your eyes. “Grace, no. I don’t want to.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun. And we won’t have to stay for long, just a few hours tops,” she said. “You’ll get to know Adam a little and hopefully this will help you take your mind off my brother.”

Not having it in you to put up a proper fight, you just sighed again. “Fine. Can I take a nap right now? I’m tired.”

“No naps,” Grace said strictly. “You’re going to get your ass up, take a shower, put make-up on, and smile. You own this day. Don’t let my brother take that away from you.”

“I really don’t feel like smiling.”

“Yeah, well, fake it till you make it.”

You had to admit, taking a shower did help you feel better. It relaxed your hurting body and maybe calmed your aching heart down, too.

However, every day after that one was still a torture, no matter how many relaxing showers you took. You did not see Mark but, when Friday came, you still didn’t feel like going out to drink. You just wanted to stay locked up in your room the whole night but you knew that this wouldn’t save you from Grace. You couldn’t hide in the house of a Mafia family.

The longer you stayed here, the more it sucked.

Since it was obviously not going to work out with Mark, at least not after he clearly let you know that he’s not planning to fall in love with you anytime soon, you started to think that maybe it’d be worth a shot to talk to his family about this. Maybe they’d let you leave.

The sudden realization that maybe there was a way out of this marriage excited you and you grabbed your make-up bag with a small smile already on your face.

Right as you were adding finishing touches of mascara on your eyelashes, Grace entered your room again. The girl didn’t bother about knocking. She just preferred to pick locks wherever she went.

“There’s just no such thing as privacy to you, is there?” you asked her.

She laughed. “I’m glad you turned into Miss Sassy. How are you feeling?”

You shrugged your shoulders, choosing not to tell her about your idea to attempt to get to leave this house and this family behind. Grace was probably going to be the only person you’d miss if you did leave.

“A little better, I guess,” you said. “I still don’t feel like going out, though.”

“Too bad,” Grace said with a teasing smile. “Have you chosen an outfit yet?”

“Yeah, I’ll wear my skinny jeans and—”

“No, no, no,” she shook her head, already opening your closet without your permission. “You’re wearing a dress.”

“I don’t like to—”

“Shh,” she silenced you. “I know you have some incredible outfits hiding here.”

You groaned as you listened her go through your racks of clothes until she finally stopped and pulled out a rack with a black, glittery dress. You had only worn it once before. It was last year, during New Years, when your friends convinced you to go out drinking and then ended up abandoning you. The dress was way too short and you wore your coat over it as you headed home early.

“This is incredible,” Grace said, softly touching the material as she held the dress up for you to see.

“Grace, I’m not wearing that.”

“Oh, you so are,” she said, placing the dress on the bed. “I’ll leave now but when I come back, you better be wearing this with the best pair of high heels you own. Promise me you’ll do that.”

“Grace—”

“Promise me.”

When a member of the Mafia tried to convince you of something, they used their negotiation voice, and although you’ve lived with this family for about two months now, you still trembled a little when they used this voice on you.

“I promise,” you sighed, having no other choice but to give in.

When Grace left, you watched the dress for a moment. You tried to convince yourself that maybe it wouldn’t look this bad this time and decided to try to put it on.

Carefully slipping out of your current clothes, you pulled the dress over your head, already feeling like it ended just below your ass, revealing way too much skin. You walked to the mirror and were proven correct. It ended just above your mid-thigh. It was way too provocative and you didn’t know why you bought it in the first place.

While you were debating to rip the dress to shreds before Grace saw it, someone entered your bedroom again and you flinched. Turning your head, you saw Grace freeze by the door.

“You look stunning,” she said and then jokingly added, “If only both of us weren’t married…”

You laughed at this. “Shut up. I’m not wearing this. It’s too short.”

“Honey, no. It’s perfect. It accentuates the length of your legs. And if you wear high heels, literally every single person who sees you will faint because you’ll look like an actual goddess,” Grace said, approaching you and glancing at your reflection in the mirror.

You sighed, pulling out your black pumps that were elegant enough to make the dress look less skimpy. Grace waited until you put them on and then gasped when she saw what you look like once your outfit was complete.

“Look at you,” she said, smiling widely while you looked at your reflection in the mirror, biting your lip. “You own the world, sweetheart. Believe in it.”

“I don’t know…” you hesitated, feeling uncomfortable in this clothing. “I feel like it’s missing something.”

“Y/n, the only thing this outfit is missing is your confidence,” Grace said. “Now, hold your head up high, look murderous, don’t smile at anyone, and let’s go.”

You grabbed your jacket and the two of you left the house without running into anyone else on the way. And thank God for that. You feared that you’d run into Mark right after you left your room. But, apparently, Mark wasn’t even home. Maybe luck was finally on your side.

Adam was already at the club when you and Grace arrived. He greeted both of you by gallantly kissing your hands and you had to admit, you were a little flustered by this action. Besides, Adam was really attractive. However, – as your brain sadly reminded you – he wasn’t Mark.

Adam insisted on paying for drinks. In fact, he looked almost offended when you and Grace pulled your wallets out. He left you two sitting in the booth at the back of the club, while he went to get you drinks at the bar.

“So, what do you think about him?” Grace asked once he left.

You shrugged your shoulders. “He seems alright. Cute. Has manners.”

“I know,” Grace nodded. “Now that I think of it, he’s probably the exact opposite of—”

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

Shivers immediately ran down your spine at the sound of this voice. You didn’t even need to turn around to know who was talking.

Apparently, luck was not on your side, after all.

“Mark?” Grace gasped after turning around to see her brother behind you. “What the fuck are you—”

“I’m on patrol here tonight,” he shot back. “You would have known that if you had gone to that meeting a week ago. Father’s unhappy about that, by the way.”

Grace quietly cursed herself and then turned to look at you with apologetic eyes. “Y/n, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—”

“Here we go,” Adam said, placing three glasses on the table in the booth and then raising his head to see your distressed face. “What happened?”

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Mark spat angrily at the sight of Adam.

Confused, you looked at Grace.

“Oh,” she said, leaning in closer to you. “I might have forgotten to mention that Mark doesn’t really like Adam.”

“That’s just lovely,” you snapped back sarcastically.

“Grace, did you think of this?” Mark asked again, approaching your booth.

Adam stepped forward to block his way. “Whoa, hey, I don’t remember you being invited, friend.”

“Back off,” Mark told him with threatening eyes.

Grace stood up from the booth, realizing that her plan to get Mark to admit his real feelings was about to backfire and it wasn’t even the night of the ball yet.

“Guys, guys,” she said, carefully stepping over you to exit the booth. “Why don’t we talk about this like adults. Or better yet, Mark, you leave to do your job.”

“I’m not fucking leaving,” Mark’s eyes burnt lasers into his sister. “You drag my wife out to have drinks with—”

“Hold up,” you frowned as you stood up from the booth. “I’m your wife now, all of a sudden?”

Mark turned to look at you, preparing to snap something back but his breath got caught in his throat at the sight of you. He has never seen you in clothes like that before and he had to do a double take to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

He cleared his throat, losing the confidence he just had. “Y-Yeah.”

“Is that so?” you snapped, using the fact that he was caught off guard to your advantage. “Because I swear I remember you telling me you weren’t obligated to do shit for me even if we were married."

“So this is what you do, huh?” Mark asked, regaining his balance in seconds. “You go out with other guys as soon as I tell you no, yeah?”

“I’m pretty sure I can go out with whoever I want to,” you said, crossing your arms on your chest and not feeling the way your dress lifted just an inch, revealing a little more skin. “Because there’s nothing going on between you and me.”

Mark swallowed, having noticed that your dress lifted. He didn’t think it was fair to have this argument with you when you looked like that because he was slowly starting to not think with his brain anymore.

“Let’s give them a moment,” you heard Grace whisper to Adam, who didn’t look very happy about what was happening but nodded nevertheless.

“No moment is needed!” you called out to them before they could leave. “Mark is leaving.”

“You fucking wish,” Mark said, taking a threatening step towards you. “I’m taking you home.”

“You’re not fucking taking me anywhere,” you shot back.

Grace, having noticed that you were standing up for yourself, pulled Adam further away from you and Mark so you could talk it out. She still stayed close by, though, in case you needed back-up.

“Stop causing a scene,” Mark told you, rolling his eyes.

“I’m not causing anything,” you replied. “It’s you who came up to us and started yelling.”

“Oh, so you wanted me to stay quiet and just watch some wanna-be gangster who can’t even get a date on his own flirt with my wife?”

“Why the fuck do you care?!” you shouted desperately. “You were explicitly clear about what you want from me. Why the fuck are you getting pissed off when I go out with people who actually want to get to know me?”

“You think he wants to get to know you?” Mark scoffed. “When you’re wearing that? Baby, sorry to break it to you, but he’s just waiting until the end of the night so he could fuck you.”

Clenching your jaw, you resisted the urge to slap him. You knew that violence was never the answer, but God, Mark was really testing your limits.

“You know what, Mark?” you decided to say. “Maybe he will get to fuck me.”

You hadn’t realized that your words provoked him even more.

“What did you just say?” he asked, his eyes immediately turning a few shades darker.

“You heard me,” you said, standing your ground even though you were starting to feel intimidated by the look in his eyes.

“Is that why you wore this dress?” Mark snapped. “To get him to want you?”

Remembering Grace’s advice to fake it till you made it, you smirked at him with pretend-confidence. “I don’t need to wear a skimpy dress to get him to want me.”

Mark’s blood was boiling, you could see it in the way he squinted his eyes and clenched his fists. Probably for the first time in his life, he realized that he wasn’t in control of the situation anymore.

“You’re going to regret saying that,” he warned you.

“I really doubt it,” you said, taking a step forward. “Now, excuse me, I have to go. Grace and Adam are waiting for me.”

You tried to step around him, but Mark moved, blocking your way.

“If you thought for one second that I was going to let you go back to that fucking loser,” he growled. “You’re fucking wrong.”

Feeling anger explode into your bloodstream, you leaned into him.

“If you thought for one second that I was going to follow your orders,” you whispered in a menacing tone. “You’re fucking wrong.”

Mark obviously wasn’t expecting so much resistance from you. Parting his lips in surprise, he watched your eyes for a moment before his gaze traveled down to your lips. You were so close to him, he could feel your perfume overcome his senses. As soon as you heard him inhale shakily, you pulled away.

You used this moment to step around him and were already on your way towards Grace and Adam, when he recovered, and grabbed your arm, stopping you.

“Y/n, you’re—”

“Let her go,” Grace stood up from her booth.

Surprised to suddenly hear her voice, Mark let go of your hand. Not wasting any time, you walked away from him and sat down in the booth next to Adam, all while Mark’s eyes followed you. You didn’t do this on purpose, it was just that Adam was sitting with his back turned to Mark, and you really didn’t want to look at Mark anymore.

“Whose side are you fucking on, Grace?!” Mark yelled, throwing his arms in the air. “I’m your fucking brother!”

“You fucked up,” Grace told him. “You need to let her go.”

“I’m not fucking letting her go. She’s my wife!”

“Prove it,” Grace challenged him.

“What?” Mark frowned.

“Find a way to prove that she’s your wife,” she told him. “In the meantime, leave her be. You have no right to her.”

“Grace, you’re fucking mental. She’s my wife. She belongs to me!”

You finally stood up and turned around, no matter how much you didn’t want to see him. “I don’t belong to you. I belong to myself.”

It looked like Mark finally understood what was happening when he was left standing alone in the club while you and Grace sat back down in the booth, exchanging meaningful glances that he couldn’t decipher.

It looked like Grace’s plan had worked after all. Mark realized that he fucked up and was going to lose you if he didn’t do anything about it, although he couldn’t yet understand why he didn’t want to lose you.

As Mark turned around to leave, he decided that this was the last time he was going to let you win. You were his and he was going to prove it to everyone.

This is purely fictional. Real-life people are in no way connected to the characters in this story. The characters have no relation to their real-life selves, either.

[alittlenomadchristina]

11 Best Cenotes in Tulum, Mexico

I have spent around 5 months in Mexico and that time lead to an incredible discovery – the best cenotes in Tulum!

As soon as I stepped foot into Mexico, I instantly became cenote-obsessed and went on a hunt to find the best and most incredible ones out there!

There are over 6,000 cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula that are basically sinkholes emerging from the bottom of the earth in the oceanic area.

This is the largest number of cenotes any place has historically known to hold - so, you can naturally imagine the beauty this place holds!

In all honesty, though, I could not have imagined it until I witnessed it myself in person.

11 Best Cenotes in Tulum

I'm listing the 11 Best Cenotes in Tulum for you to explore here (even those that are not mentioned in the top ten lists commonly found on Google).

Tulum is a Mayan city that also was part of Coba as its major port. It is a major tourist spot mainly due to its variety of incredible cenote attractions.

Among all the trips I've taken (55 countries and counting!), this particular one to Tulum and Mexico in general is among the Top 3.

Snorkeling is one of my favorite activities in Mexico and everywhere I travel, but experiencing those underwater caves is truly unique.

To share the magic I have experienced, I will try to convey my experiences in words and will also provide a few tips and tricks that I have learned during my time exploring cenotes in Mexico.

Here's exactly what I will cover:

The Best Cenotes in Tulum

The Best Cenotes near Tulum

The best organized tours for exploring Cenotes

Tips and what to pack to have the best experience

Best Cenotes for Scuba Diving

Best Cenotes for Snorkeling

Free Cenotes in Tulum

Please note: All prices mentioned are as of October 2019.

Although I've numbered the list, it doesn't mean that cenote #1 is the best cenote. They're all stunning in their own ways and all of them are more than worth visiting!

1. Cenote Calavera

Calavera in Española (Spanish) means skull. This is quite literally the case as Calavera has two eyes and a mouth-like opening, giving it the unique shape of a skull.

Calavera is basically a little cenote that lies 3 km outside of Tulum and the surface of the water starts at four meters below ground level.

This is an open invitation to divers, although because of its narrow holes, I was told to dive in the presence of an expert.

For folks afraid of diving headfirst into it, the cenote has a ladder you can use to climb down.

Calavera is still quite unpopular, so you won't find swarms of tourists there - also making it the perfect solo travel destination!

This also naturally translates into the ticket to this cenote being quite cheap at only 100 pesos.

2. Gran Cenote

Gran Cenote is definitely one of the best cenotes in Tulum and quite popular.

It lies five kilometers from Tulum and proudly boasts fresh, sparkling, crystal blue water.

One of the most amazing things about Gran Cenote is the abundance of super cute turtles and picturesque lilypads as you can see in this video:

TURTLE VIDEO

The entry fee is 180 pesos ($10).

This cenote is a haven for experienced scuba and free divers due to its incredible depths. It is also a pretty well-known spot, much like Dos Ojos.

To catch it in its serenity and wholesome beauty, it is best to visit the cenote either early in the morning or a little before closing time.

There are many organized tours you can be a part of if you don't want to explore Gran Cenote on your own.

After listing all of the stunning cenotes, I will give you an overview of the best tours to explore them.

Most of the cenotes you can barely see from outside, they're all quite hidden (as you can see in this photo) even though some of them are really big!

3. Cenote Corazon

https://www.inspirock.com/mexico/tulum/cenote-corazon-del-paraiso-a1529180591

Lying just 8 km away from Tulum, Cenote Corazon Del Paraiso earns its name due to the specific fashion in which it has ‘nature’ grown all around it.

Its title translates to “The Heart of Paradise” and you can surely see why in the image above.

The cenote is shaped in the form of a heart due to the multiple years that brought with it the erosion of soil and minerals.

The water temperature is fairly low and much lower than most cenotes, hence making it THE spot to be during the summers.

It used to be the ancient heart of the Mayan culture and is the main attraction in Tulum to date.

Plus the visit will cost you only 80 pesos ($4) – the cheapest you’ll find!

4. Carwash Cenote (Aktun Ha)

If you are particularly into exploring and working a little before earning your beautiful view, Cenote Aktun Ha, also known as Cenote Carwash, is the place you want to be.

Lying just 9 km from central Tulum, it earned its title because taxi drivers would often go there and wash their taxis while enjoying their break.

You would think that since it is easily accessible, it might be the place to avoid because of the tourist crowds.

Well, not really.

The underlying specialty of this cenote is that even though it is easily approachable, it is usually not overpopulated making it a prime destination for divers like myself.

The entrance ticket costs 195 pesos ($10) for individuals looking for a fun diving experience.

Way below the surface of the water, there lies a mystical “garden” at your dispense to explore.

It also contains underwater caves that are more than just extraordinary!

The water tends to get warm, though during the summers because of the algae on the surface so it's even more ideal to explore in the chillier months!

5. Casa Cenote

Situated 11 km from Tulum, this particular cenote has a cave system under the surface of the water that acts as a segue between the caves and the sea.

What is unique about this cenote is that it contains both sea and freshwater. This gives you a variety of fish to be surrounded by.

Casa is almost always tourist-packed due to the fact that it is basically a huge swimming pool and allows for indulgences such as snorkeling, diving, and scuba diving.

There I am, going for a little snorkeling session after diving Casa Cenote...

Scuba diving gives you a chance to linger around the main mangrove location and sometimes you can spot the exact location where the seawater meets freshwater.

The cost of the entrance is no more than 150 pesos ($7).

6. Cenote Labnaha

If you drive 15 minutes away from central Tulum (13 km), you will land in a place as beautiful as its name.

Cenote Labnaha is largely known as one of the top sinkholes in Tulum. What's so special here is that you can go zip-lining, how cool is that?

The beauty of the place is so surreal that it has limitations to the number of visitors per day – and it is quite costly as well (880 pesos/$45).

This helps reduce the tourist footprint in the region and also aids in the maintenance of the eco-system.

All sorts of activities such as diving and snorkeling are done in the presence of trained professionals.

The entrance fee of this cenote is relatively high, but this is only because the fee deposits go directly into helping wildlife such as trees and animals that are on the brink of extinction.

Labnaha also has an Eco Park called Magic Mayan World that caters to only small groups of people. More information here.

The Best Cenotes near Tulum:

7. Cenote Dos Ojos

When translated to English, the name of this cenote means “Two Eyes”.

Physically, this is because the cenote has two sinkholes on the surface that are conjoint by a passageway about 400 meters long.

However, I call it Dos Ojos because my two eyes were under a spell after witnessing its beauty.

Located 22 km north of Tulum, it ranks top on most people’s list of the best cenotes in Tulum and it does on mine, too.

The serenity shown in the picture can only be touched if you visit early. If you get there right after the opening time, you get a chance to enjoy Dos Ojos in its grand totality for a couple of moments.

However, thanks to the tales of its mesmerizing beauty, this cenote visit does not come as cheap as some others!

The ticket for this attraction costs $14 (around 200 pesos in local currency).

Furthermore, because of its popularity, it is very crowded all the time except a few minutes into the opening time, which is great if you do not mind having people around but not so much if you want to truly experience the tranquility of the cenote.

8. Cenote Nicte–Ha

Tourist crowds can sometimes spoil the fun and take the edge off the beauty of cenotes.

Unlike the case with some other cenotes, Nicte-Ha is a cenote secluded from the population because it falls away from the tourist trail.

It is located 22km north of Tulum and quite close to Dos Ojos Cenote, so if you go exploring by yourself, you can do both in one trip.

The cenote lies above ground, making it perfect for a quick swim by gorgeous trees and other plants.

A part of the cenote also has a rock-made appendage that you can climb through making your way to the other openings to get that real explorer-vibe going.

The entrance fee will cost you around 100 pesos ($5) – which is quite cheap. 

9. Cenote El Pit

Originating in the jungle, El Pit is the darkest part of the Dos Ojos cenote.

Lying 25 km north of Tulum, this pit is one of the deepest in the area.

Its rocky, narrow and adventurous opening gives it an enticing look and gives birth to an experience of a lifetime.

The pit extends about 40 meters after its opening and gets dark enough for you to carry a torch on you for the rest of the trip down.

The best part is that you get the whole entrance fee off (140 pesos) if you visit it the same day as your visit to the Dos Ojos cenote.

10. Cenote Ponderosa

Popularly known as Cenote Jardin del Eden, this cenote lies in Quintana Roo, 40 km from Tulum.

It has a terrace right above it so you can enjoy the view if you prefer not to take a dip.

This particular cenote is often referred to as an open swimming pool because of its crystal clear waters.

The visit will cost you around 120 pesos ($6), but you’ll get to experience all kinds of marine life species the cenote is home to such as the motmots, eels, turtles, and fish.

These creatures will eat the dead skin off your feet while you enjoy a quick dip into its warm clear waters.

So, all in all, you get to experience the mysterious beauty of nature first-hand along with state-of-the-art pedicure therapy.

What’s not to love here?

11. Cenote Azul

Cenote Azul is gigantic enough for you to spend an entire day there exploring its mystique beauty and splendor.

Since it is quite shallow in most places, it is perfect for a day out with the family.

Way inside of the cenote (15 feet away), there is a deep cliff jump that makes exploring even more fun; giving you an opportunity for a bone-chilling cliff diving experience.

The entry fee is 137 pesos ($7) for adults.

The opulent greens in the form of vegetation make you feel like you have left civilization miles away although it is only a 50-minute drive (63 km) from Tulum.

Best Organized Tours to Tulum's Cenotes

If you don't want to explore the cenotes on your own (some can be a bit hard to find as they're quite hidden), these tours make it super easy for you to discover the highlights of Tulum's Cenotes:

4 cenote-tour starting in Tulum: This tour from Tulum takes you on a fun journey across 4 different cenotes where you can snorkel your heart out and explore the beautiful marine life as well as enjoy a traditional Mayan meal. Starting at $156.

Bike Tour of secluded cenotes and caves from Tulum: Far away from the crowds, this bike tour starts in town and takes you to the hidden cenotes, caves, and caverns of the outskirts of Tulum. Prices start from $90.

Scuba Diving Cenote Intro Course from Tulum: If you'd like to explore more of a cenote than just looking down from the surface while snorkeling, this experience will introduce you to scuba diving in just a day. Experience the sparkling light in an open lagoon surrounded by mangroves - you won't ever forget this day, promise! Price starts at $160.

Cenote, Ruins and Riviera Maya Snorkeling Tour from Cancun or Playa Del Carmen: During this day-tour you will not only explore the rock formations of Cenote Hilarios but also snorkel the reef of the Riviera Maya and explore the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Tulum. Starting from $64.

Tulum Ruins and Dos Ojos Cenote: This 5-hour guided tour starts from either Cancun, Playa Del Carmen or Downtown Tulum, wherever your hotel is. It's a great combination of exploring the ancient ruins and then cooling off in the famous Dos Ojos Cenote I mentioned above. It's a total steal starting at only $45.

Turtle Snorkeling and Cenote Exploring: Join this tour and you will get the chance to snorkel with sea turtles along the Great Mayan Reef, right in front of the Mayan ruins of Tulum. Your guides will explain more about the turtles and diverse marine life as well as the cenote system and then take you to two cenotes to explore. Starts at $88.

Tips for Visiting the Tulum Cenotes

For cenotes that lie right inside Tulum, I advise you to go very early at opening time or late around closing time.

This is where you will be able to enjoy and make the most of your visit because most tourists have either not arrived yet or already left the location.

Carry eco-friendly sunscreen. This is usually a mineral-based, biodegradable sunscreen that is not harmful to the natural environment. I recommend to bring this wherever you go in order not to destroy the corals and eco-system, but in the Cenotes of Tulum, it is officially required. I love this, great job Mexico!

Bring a towel. And then another towel. Preferably both made out of microfiber material because of their compact and quick-dry features.

Wear water-resistant shoes for cave cenotes and water-resistant shoes/sandals for water cenotes. I have a personal recommendation for you in my snorkeling equipment list below this article.

Don’t forget to pack a waterproof head torch! It can get quite dark in the underwater caves, as you can imagine.

I also always bring my own snorkeling equipment and recommend you do the same for several reasons: it's more hygienic, it saves you money, and you won't have to worry about masks and fins that don't fit, get foggy, etc.

The snorkel equipment I usually use is listed below this article.

Scuba Diving Cenotes in Tulum

If you are like me and love to scuba dive every chance you get, you should do your homework before you plan your trip.

Lots of good diving cenotes lie right outside or on the outskirts of Tulum that are not jam-packed with tourists.

This helps you avoid accidents and explore freely at your will.

Here is my list of the best diving cenotes in Tulum:

1. OxBel Ha

2. Nohoch Nah Chich

3. Dos Ojos

4. Gran Cenote

5. Angelita

Snorkeling Cenotes in Tulum

If you prefer to indulge in a less intense sport than scuba diving, then snorkeling is your best bet! Snorkeling in Mexico is a fantastic experience anyways, but cenotes are really out of this world.

There are certain restricted cenote spots that allow snorkeling. This is to reduce crowding in order that you may enjoy the glorious marine life below.

Snorkeling is done where lots of marine life swims close to the surface of the water, and a large amount of tourists is bound to disturb the natural habitat of the species.

Hence it is seen that fewer people are around during snorkeling activities.

Below is a list of the best snorkeling cenotes in Tulum that I thought would help you snorkeling fans out there:

Casa Cenote

Garden of Eden

Dos Ojos

There are fun tours that actually take you snorkeling into the underground caves of Tulum like the ones I mentioned above in the organized tours section.

Free Cenotes in Tulum

If you don’t intend to spill out any cash, you can still fulfill your cenote-obsession by checking out a free cenote in Tulum.

Just go ahead and visit the free Tulum cenote at Clan-Destino Cenote Bar.

Here, all you have to do is buy something from the bar and help yourself to a COMPLETELY free-of-cost fun exploration.

It is a 24/7 bar that helps you cool off the Mexican heat and lets you enjoy in a nature-given swimming pool all the while doing so.

Cenote Arco Maya also gives you this free of cost facility.

It is a non-commercialized cenote and is placed right at the heart of Tulum.

This cenote is well hidden, so it is not always crowded but nonetheless, is easy to find.

It is a perfect spot to enjoy the sunset, swimming in peace and meeting with locals.

Pin this guide to the best cenotes in Tulum for later:

I also have an overview of the best snorkeling spots in Mexico and the best places for snorkeling in the Bahamas.

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Article Source Here: 11 Best Cenotes in Tulum, Mexico

[ravenvsfox]

I check your blog obsessively and ive just realised I don't actually know a lot about you ? Like, what are your hobbies, what do you look forward to at the end of the day, what shows do you watch, do you support any sports teams, what food would you kill a man for, what's your favourite animal(s) , what music do you listen to, any inside jokes with your friends, what's your family like, what's a normal day like for you , do you have any nicknames, what are you attracted to in a person ? xx

wow if you want me to instantly fall in love with you ask me strange and wonderful personal questions and also compliment my blog like... uh..... 😍

I guess I’ll take this one question at a time?? I hope that’s okay? what’s the protocol for talking about myself is this thing on

hobbies: lots of artsy obnoxious stuff I love writing & reading & playing piano/flute/guitar/uke/singing & painting & acting I basically only use one side of my brain tbh

I look forward to: putting my hair up which seems weird but I have so much of it and my favourite moment in the day is tying it back and feeling like my brain is free?? I also look forward to cracking a coke zero and checking my notes on tumblr.com and uhhh napping

shows: holy shit...... all. of them. recently I’ve been catching up on sense8, the get down, skam s4, brooklyn 99, voltron. plus I always adore x-files and buffy. I’ve had the obligatory teen wolf phase, doctor who phase, shameless US phase... got dumped headfirst into haikyuu and yoi last year, etc etc 

sports teams: i don’t know anything!!!! literally nothing!!! I respect their right to have that ball and do that running but i.. super don’t care. also here in saskatchewan everyone’s like football!!! hockey!!! football!!! hockey!!!! and im honestly just here to watch a guy get punched on ice

food to kill for: fresh homemade bread my guy....... better than anything on this earth..... also some really good nachos?? yeah. cheesecake?? ye S. thai food? YES

favourite animal: okay don’t laugh....... it’s a fox it’s been a fox since I was eight years old

music: it’s very um eclectic. tame impala & panic! & altj & decemberists & lorde & top & arcade fire & sufjan stevens & mother mother & the mountain goats & frank ocean & the front bottoms & mac demarco & hayley kiyoko bc I am gay and punk and trying too hard but ALSO so many soundtracks! httyd & cloud atlas & sinbad are some of the best scores ever devised by man. so many musicals. lately more bts than you would........... believe

Inside jokes: idk where to begin w the shit me and ben talk about but I’ll tell you that my group chat was called ‘omega too god’ for a while bc my friend misspelled ‘omg too good’

family: just very good. I’m so ludicrously lucky. my parents are accepting and silly and delightful -- doctors & part-time musicians & full-time good people. Both my brothers are big weirdos and I love & fear them. James writes music and talks way too much about sci-fi or board games or astronomy or w/e & his mouth gets him into sooo much trouble. Stubborn as FUCK & won’t hecking listen to me but he means so well. Chris is a real certified genius I’m not joking his IQ is well above 160 and he just turned down the opportunity to go to Oxford or Cambridge for his masters in physics bc he’s focusing on research?? i guess? He’s good at everything but he’s also humble and sweet and strange and fumbling (I’m so proud of him I can’t see straight)

A normal day for me: right now it’s summer and I haven’t landed a job yet so it goes: get up LATE, go for coffee with a friend or my mom, have a lil walk, do some writing, sometimes I go volunteer at the LGBT2+ community centre where my buddy works & look after some youth, make some food, run some errands, learn lots. maybe go out in the evening, maybe retreat to my cave and write some more until it gets dark and I remember to eat. collapse into sleep at 3 am

nicknames: my family calls me Meg or Megs! dad used to call me Meggie Muffin but we don’t gotta talk about that. my name is boring and difficult to adapt wcyd

attracted to: good talkers. sweethearts who are free w affection and good vibes. sense of humour is critical bc I like to be surprised & heard & laugh. people who are accepting and genuinely kind are definitely the hottest people. if they’re smart musicians w curly hair or smth that’s a bonus 😎

[marisa-writes]

7, 11, 21, 28 ☺

7) Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Ooh ooh ooh. Now, prose, I gotchu.

When he looks at Nina, though, hedoesn’t see any flash of recognition cross her features, or the knowing look ofpity that usually accompanies it and—it’s rather nice, not feeling known. Oftentimes, Liam feels like hecomes across as a walking wreck—as if all his cracks and bends are on fulldisplay, raw and exposed for all the world to see. Like his shoulders sag quitenoticeably under the weight of the metaphorical baggage he carries around, withLissie in tow. Like there’s a headline scrawled across his forehead in screamingink—‘Successful Pop Star Falls Off theGrid After Experiencing Personal Tragedy.’

I honestly want to fight myself for the way I’ve left Regarding Our Ghosts… hanging in the balance, because I still have so much love in my heart for it. Right now, it’s my constant “what if?” and I can’t seem to let it go. 

I’ve had this little snippet saved as part of a teaser in my drafts for months and months and months, and it still remains one of my favorite bits of writing from this story. I love this Liam desperately - he’s been through a lot, and he’s vulnerable and trying to start over but he’s stuck in a rut, unsure of where to even start rebuilding his life again. This part really shines a light on that, on how he feels about himself and his life.

11) Is writing your passion or just a fun hobby?

Oh, passion, without a doubt. I love to write, and I know it’s something I’ll enjoy forever. I’ve done everything from writing prose to writing poetry and song lyrics as well. I felt so lost during those few years where I struggled to churn out much of anything because since I was thirteen, writing has been my strongest voice. I’ve always felt more comfortable expressing myself through the written word than I have verbally, so when I graduated from college and hit a slow patch (that turned into a writing drought), I was really upset. Writing has held me together in the times I’ve struggled hardest with depression and general life things, and without it, I felt like I’d lost I huge part of who I was.

I feel like we’ve all got stories to tell inside of us, and they’re not always our stories, but they’re stories we’re itching to put into our own words and share with others. I love it. I love being able to create characters and storylines I’m passionate about, and I love fanfiction because fandom has allowed me to connect to others who love writing the way I do, and that’s the best thing.

21) How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Oh, man, too many. I’m a frequent editor. I edit while I write. I tend to write my pieces in Google Docs (because I’m constantly on the go), then copy/paste the first draft into a Word document to eventually save as a final copy. After that, I do another edit. When I’m ready to post, I do a couple final run-throughs to make sure I’ve caught any little mistakes. I’m literally editing all the way up until I click ‘post’.

I love to edit, but sometimes I think it hinders my writing progress, so I’m trying to get better at just writing and writing and then going back when I’ve finished to edit. It’s a hard habit to break.

28) Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Ah, okay, more peeps (I’m cheating and squeezing in four):

@fromherlips Fran’s not like a regular fanfic writer; she’s a cool fanfic writer. Fran is pretty spesh because she is sunshine personified but with a definite demon streak. I love Fran’s prose because she’s able to tell such different stories with it - sometimes, there’s a lot of humor, sometimes she’s aiming to rip your heart out, sometimes she’s trying to make you SCREAM because her portrayals of characters are just hot as hell, AND SOMETIMES IT’S ALL IN THE SAME STORY. Her writing reflects her well, I think - multifaceted and intriguing and well thought-out. She’s a master at plotting out her stories, something I am anything but, so I envy her.

Plus, plus, plus - Fran is crazy driven and passionate and so kind it knocks your socks off. She’s one of my favorite people to text about life things as well as pry for snippets of writing or torture with bits of mine. It’s funny - at first I couldn’t believe she wanted to talk to me because I thought she was ~so cool and I’m a big nerd, but as it turns out, we were both floating around the Jonas Brothers fanfic world years and years ago and she’d read my writing! Also also also she’s somehow become Giam’s biggest fan and I am so, so glad. She’s decided they’re her parents, which makes me her Nana Ris, and I can live with that.

@beggingforfics - Hannah is another blast from the past, in a way. A lot of people from JBFA eventually found their way to 1dff and Hannah was one of those people. Hannah read my first 1D one-shot and she was so sweet and supportive, and at some point or another she told me that she used to read my writing on JBFA and she also said some super gross nice things about my writing.

The thing is, Hannah is far better at prose than I probably ever will be. She’s got a knack for for adding great detail - just subtle things that make you stop and realize how very in tune she is with the characters she creates. She’s careful with her words in a way that makes me envious. Her imagery is spun in the most enchanting way, fully engrossing in a manner that leaves you wanting more and more and more. I always scroll really slowly while reading her things because I never want them to end. She is a natural born storyteller, I’m telling you.

@ YOU because there is humor in your writing that I just LOVE. It makes me laugh like you make me laugh, and I find that every one of your stories carries such a pleasant vibe and always makes me want to come back for more. Like, I was already getting into your writing when we started talking and I had a feeling I’d like you a lot simply from your icon pic, but the more we talked the more I realized we saw eye to eye on a lot of things.

I also really love the way you dive into your ideas headfirst. You have so many great, creative ideas and you ride the waves wherever they take you and I love, love, love it.

@abejas-fic - Brianne was one of the first people in this writing community (and another former JBFA girl) to welcome me and encourage me and that was so, so nice.Furthermore, her fic was one of the first I read on 1dff and her prose left me breathless. She told the stories of Liam and Thea with such delicacy and sweetness and the more I read, the more I wanted to write my own tale about Liam, too.

Everything I’ve read of Brianne’s stands out to me (but Silhouette Dreams and Burning Daylight will probably always always always be favorites of mine). I’m always taken with her works. She has great ideas and her writing is always honest and imaginative and I can’t ever get enough of it.